Police say they found marijuana and drug distribution materials in a bedroom being used by Luis E. Ortiz, 19, of the 600 block of Atlantic Street in Bethlehem, after a search following his arrest on robbery charges.

The charges, originally filed in late July, were dismissed Sept. 5 after no one from the Northampton County District Attorney's Office or Bethlehem police showed up at a preliminary hearing, according to Alexander Karam, the attorney representing Ortiz on his Northampton County criminal charges.

Ortiz was arraigned today before District Judge Nancy Matos Gonzalez on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and manufacturing, delivering or possessing with the intent to manufacture, deliver or possess a controlled substance. Ortiz's bail in the case was set at $150,000.

Court records indicate that Bethlehem detectives received consent to search a bedroom in the home of Ortiz's sister Mercedes Grullon. The 19-year-old was allegedly staying with his sister and police were interested in finding if there was any evidence there of Ortiz's participation in a rash of 7-Eleven robberies. Ortiz was charged with a slew of robbery-related crimes only days prior to the July 20 search of the Atlantic Street bedroom.

Inside the room, police found a Subway plastic bag with a softball-size ball of vegetation that tested positive for marijuana on Ortiz's nightstand, court records say. Police also located rolling papers and plastic bags consistent with drug distribution, according to court documents.